Plastic sectional shelf units comprising plastic shelves and plastic uprights have been present on the market for some time.
The strong point of sectional shelf units made of plastic consists in its simple assembly, as the components are generally directly provided with sections that are specially shaped for interlocking them together.
Moreover, the edges of the components are generally bevelled and thus cannot harm people during assembly or disassembly of the shelf unit, or during normal use of the shelf unit in the case of accidental impact.
At the same time, a sectional shelf unit made of plastic has limited mechanical strength, which affects the load capacity negatively.
Additionally, to improve the load capacity, the unit shelves have a solid or honeycomb structure that does not allow for saving space when the disassembled components are packed for storage in a warehouse or for shipping.
Sectional shelf units made of metal and comprising shelves and uprights made of sheet metal are also present on the market.
The greatest advantage of a metal sectional shelf unit consists in its adequate load capacity.
Moreover, the shelves generally have a hollow structure that allows for housing many components therein, including for example uprights and feet, thereby significantly reducing the overall dimensions of the packaging.
However, at the same time, a metal sectional shelf unit entails complex assembly and disassembly requiring small metal parts, including screws, washers, bolts, lock nuts, etc., and specific tools such as screwdrivers, wrenches, Allen wrenches, etc.
Furthermore, the corners and edges of the sheet-metal components are generally sharp and making them safe requires additional work procedures that complicate the production process and result in a more costly final product.
The task of the present invention is therefore to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art cited hereinabove.